Extensible tablet.



'. J. NORTON.

EXTENSIBLE TABLET.

APucATloN FILED SEPT. 1, 1909. RENEWED SEPT. 19, me.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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IIVI EIVTUR f- W/TNESSES ATTOREY u n N m m N u w o m u m. o N P m s R K E p s R 0 N E m T. J. NORTON.

EXTENSIBLE TABLET. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I, 1909- RENEWED SEPT.J19, 1916- 2 swans-sugar z,

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

IN VE N TOR ATTORNEY TED BTATEB PATENT @FFIQE.

THOMAS J. NORTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

SAMUEL J. SLOAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXTENSIBLE TABLET.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. "1, 1916.

Application filed. September 1, 1909, Serial No. 515,695. Renewed September 19, 1916. Serial No. 121,087.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS J. NORTON,

- a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extensible Tablets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in extensible tablets, and more particularly to tablets of a substantially perpetual, permanent, or indestructible character, for use for example as monuments or memorials or for any purpose where indestructibility or permanency is desirable. In tablets of this character, it is desirable that the tablet should be capable of extension to include from time to time additional records, and yet should be strong, rigid, and substantially indestruc tible; it should be limited to the fewest possible parts consistent with ready extension and adjustment; each separate record should constitute an integral record unit; where used as a memorial or to perpetuate any record, it should be permanent and substantially inseparable, that is to say, each record unit as added should be inseparably joined to the preceding unit or units and each of such units should be of such a character that any unit to be perpetuated could not become disarranged so as to lose its value as a record in case, if for any reason, the units or sections of the tablet should become separated from each other.

By the use of my invention, I produce an extensible tablet having a substantially indestructible bar for each unit-record to be perpetuated and each unit-bar is composed of a single piece of substantially indestructible material such as metal having such unit-record to be perpetuated cast integral therewith or ineflaceably inscribed thereon. Furthermore each of such unit-bars is provided with means whereby it may be secured to another similar bar or to a head-bar. Preferably the securing means are such that the bars will be readily attachable and will be inseparably locked together when once in place.

I will now describe one form of tablet embodying a preferred form of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a double column tablet embodying my invention, the face thereof being partially broken away; Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in front elevation, partially broken away, of one of my unit-bars and the connecting screws therefor; Fig. 4 is a top view of one of such bars and screws; Fig. 5 is a bottom view of one corner of one of such unit-bars; Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken approximately at the center of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a detail in longitudinal sec tion of one of the bolts or screws employed for connecting the bars; and Fig. 8 is a detail showing the method of connecting the opposing unit bars in a double column tablet at the center thereof.

Now referring to these drawings, A designates a tablet as a whole, B what I shall call a head-bar, C a foot-bar and D unit-bar, which are shown as secured intermediate a head-bar and a foot-bar.

The construction of double and single column tablets in accordance with my invention is, in all essential respects, the same, and the following description will, therefore, include both constructions unless specifically otherwise stated.

The head-bar B of my preferred form of tablet is preferably made of a single casting. Any suitable design may be cast thereon, and any suitable ornamental molding may be provided and other ornaments may, if desired, be mounted thereupon. It is preferably wider than the unit bars D and a space B is preferably left in which any design or words is preferably cast integral therewith or inscribed thereon by cutting into the metal or otherwise ineffaceably marking thereon. This head-bar, however, may be omitted, or may be made the same in all essential respects as the succeeding unit-bars hereinafter described. Preferably, however,.it is in the form shown and is provided with means for permanently securing thereto the succeeding unit-bars preferably in the same or substantially the same manner as each of such bars are secured to each other and as more fully hereinafter described. I also prefer to provide a footpiece C, removable or detachable from the balance of the structure, so that unit-bars may, from time to time, be attached to the head-bar or added to the preceding unitbar after which the foot-bar is replaced.

The unit-bars D are each composed of a singlepiece of indestructible material such as metal having a name and dates or other record which it is desired to perpetuate cast integral therewith, ineffaceably inscribed thereon, or, in some other way, made inseparable therefrom whether the bar is in place in a tablet or separate. Thus, each bar in itself forms a permanent and substantially indestructible unit, which, even if, under any circumstances, separated from the other parts or sections of the tablet would still retain its independent value as a permanent record such as a memorial. As shown, (Fig. 6), each of these unit-bars is H-shaped in cross-section having outer and inner vertical side members it it, one of which constitutes the face, and a connecting'member or web k which connects the side members at or about their centers. Each of the bars D is provided with apertures d for the reception of a screw or bolt E, which aperture extends from the bottom of the bar upwardly through the connecting web 72, and, when the bar is in place in any tablet is in alinement with a screw aperture in the preceding unit-bars D. Each end of each bar D of a single column tablet and each end and the center of a double-bar of a double column tablet will preferably be provided with a solid or block portion 03 through which the aperture d extends and in which is provided an enlargement or counter-sink d for the reception of the head or shank portion of the bolt or screw E. This countersink or enlargement is preferably provided with one or more vertically disposed grooves or corrugations d for a purpose hereinafter explained.

As shown in Fig. 8, I join my unit-bar in a double column tablet at the center thereof by providing corresponding over lapping shoulders (Z (Z on each bar formed by cutting away the upper and lower corners respectively of each bar. Preferably only one screw is used at this joining point, such overlapping portions of the bars being provided with registering screw apertures d and the right-hand bar carrying the solid or block portion cl having the countersink. A single tablet is the same as a double in all particulars excepting that in the single form the unit bars continue from one side of the tablet to the otherleaving out the central joints, screws, and blocks. When desired by a customer a tablet may be part single and part double, that is to say, ha e some bars (at the top, for example) continuous from side to side and the rest broken, joined and connected at their centers as shown. Again the tablet may have three, four or more columns-all joined and secured at their inner edges as shown and described herein for two columns. As shown, each bar is also provided with a rearwardly-extending flange (Z at each end which form when the bars are in place, a rearwardly-extending peripheral flange for keeping the tablet away from the wall or other fixture to which it may be attached. The face, ends, and corners of such bars are provided with raised portions for ornamental purposes. In the case of doublecolumn tablets, I preferably provide one of these raised portions at the center of each bar, which when the bars are in place constitute division between the columns.

The screws E are preferably of the form shown and each comprises an exteriorly screw-threaded portion 6 and an elongated shank-portion 6 having one or more exterior or peripheral grooves or corrugations e and also provided with an interiorly screw-threaded hole 6 In assembling, one of such screws is passed with its screw-portion 6 upwardly through each aperture (Z in the bar which it is desired to attach so that the shank-portion e fits into the enlargement or countersink cl, the said screw-portion 6 extending through and above said aperture and into an interiorly screwthreaded hole in the head-bar or into an in teriorly screw-threaded hole in the shankportion of a similar screw E which secures the preceding bar. Then the said screw is driven home either into the hole in the head bar or into the screw-aperture of a similar screw, it should be forced to a position where the grooves or corrugations on the periphery of such screw will register with the corrugation in the walls of the counter sink cl. A small metal pin is then inserted in the hole thus formed and driven home. It will then be impossible to turn the screw, and the bars will be permanently and inseparably locked together. A very rigid and strong structure is thus obtained and the place where the strain is likely to be the greatest to wit, the joining line of the ver tical side members it it or backs or faces of contiguous bars, will be traversed and strengthened by the elongated shank portions of the screws, which, when the succeeding screw is in place, form substantially solid rods to oppose any strains along these junction lines.

Wherever it is desired, the head-piece, instead of being made inseparable from the unit bars may be detachable therefrom. In this latter event, it may be secured in a manner similar to that of securing the foot-bar as indicated by P in the center of Fig. 1. by a series of thumb screws, each having an aperture interiorly screw-threaded and adapted to co-act and engage with the screwportion 6 of the screws E projecting from the upper unit bar and through a threadless aperture in the base-plate of the head-bar.

I claim:

1. In an extensible tablet, a plurality of horizontal bars each being substantially H- shaped in cross-section, screws connecting such barseach screw having an elongated shank-portion extending between adjacent H-bars and traversing the oint between the side members thereof to oppose all strains at such joint.

2. In an extensible tablet, a plurality of unit-bars, screws for securing such bars together, and means for changing such screws into non-rotatable connections whereby to more securely lock said bars together.

3. In a tablet, a plurality of unit-bars constituting the component parts thereof, each bar having apertures for the passage of screws and the walls of each screw aperture having interior corrugations, screws each having a reduced screw-portion and an enlarged and elongated shank-portion provided with peripheral grooves or corrugations-the said reduced screw-portion being adapted to enter a screw aperture in a preceding part of said tablet and the corrugations on the shank of the screw and in the wall of the aperture being adapted to register, and a pin inserted into the hole thus formed to lock said bars together.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoing specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. NORTON.

Witnesses:

S. E. SCHULMAN, WM. MARKS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

